Roush Fenway teams fighting same issues in test
RICHMOND, Va. - The five teams of Roush Fenway Racing have been fighting a tight condition during the car of tomorrow test at Richmond International Raceway, and none of them seem to have found a solution yet.
Only one driver, Matt Kenseth, was in the top 10 of Tuesday and Wednesday's speeds.
The new car doesn't turn as well as the current model, but Kenseth said teams can't afford to worry about that.
"Well, you kind of have to get over the fact that they drive different from what we are used to," Kenseth said. "But we're working at it and trying to make it better."
The other four teams are, too. And they're all trying to fix one problem: Being tight in the center of the turn.
"The car's been a little bit tight in the center of the corner, but that's common here," Carl Edwards said. "It's not like there's some major difference. They just drive a little bit differently. It's just harder for us to get them to turn in the center of the corner."
While Edwards said his COT drives about the same as his other car, Jamie McMurray has found a vast difference.
"These cars drive a lot differently than the cars that we are used to driving here at Richmond, so it makes it a different challenge," McMurray said. "[Crew chief] Larry [Carter] and the guys have been throwing a lot into the setup of this car, hoping to make it turn better in the center of the corner. We have the speed in our Ford Fusion, but just can't seem to find the right handling."
Greg Biffle led the first practice Tuesday afternoon and has been happy with his No. 16 Ford. Still, Biffle wants more speed out of his car.
"If you do get it to turn any better the center's too loose," Biffle said. "So it's a balance you are always looking for. Our one car has better rear grip. Every time you go to the test, you always wish you could cut them in half, right in the middle. Because one always turns better than the other and one has more forward bite. It always works that way, but it's for a reason, that's why we come out here to test."
RICHMOND, Va. - The five teams of Roush Fenway Racing have been fighting a tight condition during the car of tomorrow test at Richmond International Raceway, and none of them seem to have found a solution yet.
Only one driver, Matt Kenseth, was in the top 10 of Tuesday and Wednesday's speeds.
The new car doesn't turn as well as the current model, but Kenseth said teams can't afford to worry about that.
"Well, you kind of have to get over the fact that they drive different from what we are used to," Kenseth said. "But we're working at it and trying to make it better."
The other four teams are, too. And they're all trying to fix one problem: Being tight in the center of the turn.
"The car's been a little bit tight in the center of the corner, but that's common here," Carl Edwards said. "It's not like there's some major difference. They just drive a little bit differently. It's just harder for us to get them to turn in the center of the corner."
While Edwards said his COT drives about the same as his other car, Jamie McMurray has found a vast difference.
"These cars drive a lot differently than the cars that we are used to driving here at Richmond, so it makes it a different challenge," McMurray said. "[Crew chief] Larry [Carter] and the guys have been throwing a lot into the setup of this car, hoping to make it turn better in the center of the corner. We have the speed in our Ford Fusion, but just can't seem to find the right handling."
Greg Biffle led the first practice Tuesday afternoon and has been happy with his No. 16 Ford. Still, Biffle wants more speed out of his car.
"If you do get it to turn any better the center's too loose," Biffle said. "So it's a balance you are always looking for. Our one car has better rear grip. Every time you go to the test, you always wish you could cut them in half, right in the middle. Because one always turns better than the other and one has more forward bite. It always works that way, but it's for a reason, that's why we come out here to test."